Anti-Scald Devices: How They Protect Your Family

Feb 28, 2015

Scalding in the home is an ongoing concern for anyone with children or elderly parents living with them. While most people experience pain from water at 118 degrees, it can take eight minutes standing in water just a little higher, 120 degrees, to receive a first degree burn. To prevent burns, no matter the reason, have anti-scald devices installed in your home.

Types of Anti-Scald Devices

Faucets outfitted with anti-scald valves are regulated in one of three ways: by pressure, temperature or a combination of both.

Pressure-balanced valves – Pressure-balanced valves sense the pressure of hot and cold water as both streams pass through the pipe. If the valve senses a lessening of the cold water pressure, it will compensate by limiting the hot water flowing through the faucet.There are piston- and diaphragm-type pressure-balanced valves, but both operate similarly and are within the same price range.Whenever the temperature of the water heater is changed, this type of valve must also be re-calibrated.

Thermostatic mixing valves – With thermostatic mixing valves, or TMVs, cold and hot water are mixed prior to flowing from the faucet. The device has a mixing chamber and a thermostat that expands and contracts with water temperature changes. When the temperature increases, the element expands, and hot water is limited in the mixing chamber.TMVs also don’t require re-calibrating of the valve when you reset the water heater.